1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to vehicle lamps such as automotive headlamps, and more particularly to a vehicle lamp equipped with a predetermined feeder means for conducting a light source for the vehicle lamp and a power supply (a battery) for supplying power to the light source.
2. Description of the Related Art
A technique of the sort shown in FIG. 13 has generally been employed as a means of arranging feeder cords for a light source that is disposed in a vehicle lamp, such as an automotive headlamp. Feeder members disposed on the rear back side of a lamp body 39 forming the vehicle are connected to a predetermined power supply (a battery). More specifically, the feeder cords are connected to a light source and disposed in the rear of the lamp body in such a way as to be fitted in a lamp chamber from the back side of the lamp body.
In other words, a first feeder cord 31a connected to a light source such as a discharge bulb (not shown in FIG. 13) is connected to a ballast circuit (not shown) incorporating a ballast 34 via a lighting circuit unit (not shown) and then a second feeder cord 31b is connected to the ballast 34 via a connector 32 before being drawn out.
Further, the terminal of the second feeder cord 31b is inserted into a rubber bushing 35 that is prepared beforehand and then inserted into a feeder-cord supporting hole 38 that is formed beforehand in a lamp body member (or a bushing fixing member) 37.
The rubber bushing 35 is then forced to be fitted in the feeder-cord supporting hole 38. A connector 33 to be connected to the power supply (battery) (not shown) is fitted to the terminal of the feeder cord 31b while storing the terminal portion thereof.
The lighting circuit unit is necessary for causing lighting to be started by applying high voltage to the discharge bulb (not shown) and is a unit for storing lighting circuit forming parts such as electronic parts and a transformer. The ballast circuit is a circuit indispensable to making the discharge bulb discharge electricity stably and continuously.
Although the vehicle lamp having a reflector 36 and the discharge bulb is shown in FIG. 13 by way of example, there has also been employed, even in the case of using an incandescent bulb or a halogen bulb as a light source, the technique of inserting the bushing 35 into the first feeder cord 31a connected to the light source, fitting the bushing 35 in the predetermined feeder-cord supporting hole 38 and fitting the connector 33 to the terminal portion.
In the above-described vehicle lamp, however, the work of fitting the bushing 35 to the feeder cord 31b, inserting the terminal of the feeder cord 31b into the predetermined feeder-cord supporting hole 38 and fitting the bushing 35 into the feeder-cord supporting hole 38 is considerably complicated and labor intensive. Particularly in the case of a vehicle lamp having the reflector 36 and the discharge bulb, the work tends to become roundabout and troublesome because the space 40 in the rear of the light source is narrow.